Computer Animation Books

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Usability Engineering

Author: Jakob Nielsen

Written by the author of the best-selling HyperText & HyperMedia, this book is an excellent guide to the methods of usability engineering. The book provides the tools needed to avoid usability surprises and improve product quality. Step-by-step information on which method to use at various stages during the development lifecycle are included, along with detailed information on how to run a usability test and the unique issues relating to international usability.

* Emphasizes cost-effective methods that developers can implement immediately* Instructs readers about which methods to use when, throughout the development lifecycle, which ultimately helps in cost-benefit analysis. * Shows readers how to avoid the four most frequently listed reasons for delay in software projects.* Includes detailed information on how to run a usability test.* Covers unique issues of international usability.* Features an extensive bibliography allowing readers to find additional information.* Written by an internationally renowned expert in the field and the author of the best-selling HyperText & HyperMedia.

Booknews

Nielsen, author of the popular HyperText & HyperMedia, provides concrete advice and methods that can be systematically employed to ensure a high degree of usability in the final user interface. Appendix A lists several practical exercises touching upon important aspects of usability engineering. Appendix B is an extensive (53-page) bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Numerical Methods Using MathCAD

Author: Laurene Fausett

This book presents the fundamental numerical techniques used in engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, and the physical and life sciences in a way that is both interesting and understandable. Using a wide range of examples and problems, this book focuses on the use of MathCAD functions and worksheets to illustrate the methods used when discussing the following concepts: solving linear and nonlinear equations, numerical linear algebra, numerical methods for data interpolation and approximation, numerical differentiation and integration, and numerical techniques for solving differential equations. For professionals in the fields of engineering, mathematics, computer science, and physical or life sciences who want to learn MathCAD functions for all major numerical methods.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Wireless Communications Security

Author: Hideki Imai

Addressing the fast-growing need to integrate effective security features into wireless communication systems, this cutting-edge book offers a broad overview of wireless security, so engineers can choose the methods and techniques that are most appropriate for their projects. Professionals gain a solid understanding of critical cryptography techniques, such as private/public key encryption, digital signatures, and block and stream ciphers. The book provides expert guidance on how to evaluate cryptography deployment impact on current wireless network architectures and implement an effective cryptography architecture for any organization. This forward-looking resource offers the technical know-how practitioners need to understand and work with the security concepts and techniques used for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation mobile networks.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

In Search of Stupidity: Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters

Author: Merrill R Chapman

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters, Second Edition is National Lampoon meets Peter Drucker. It's a funny and well-written business book that takes a look at some of the most influential marketing and business philosophies of the last twenty years. Through the dark glass of hindsight, it provides an educational and entertaining look at why these philosophies didn't work for many of the country's largest and best-known high-tech companies.

Marketing wizard Richard Chapman takes you on a hilarious ride in this book, which is richly illustrated with cartoons and reproductions of many of the actual campaigns used at the time. Filled with personal anecdotes spanning Chapman's remarkable career (he was present at many now-famous meetings and events), In Search of Stupidity, Second Edition examines the best of the worst marketing ideas and business decisions in the last twenty years of the technology industry.

The second edition includes new chapters on Google and on how to avoid stupidity, plus the extensive analyses of all chapters from the first edition. You'll want to get a copy because it

Features an interesting preface and interview with Joel Spolsky of "Joel on Software"

Offers practical advice on avoiding PR disaster

Features actual pictures of some of the worst PR and marketing material ever created

Is highly readable and funny

Includes theme-based cartoons for every chapter

Slashdot.org An excellent source of information, analysis and good laughs. It's one of the few industry titles that will give you a large supply of stories to re-tell to other developers over a beer. Chapman's book is also an excellent case study collection of anti-management rules that one should avoid when running a high tech company.

Object Oriented Perl

Author: Damian Conway

Techniques and tricks to master basic and advanced OO Perl for programmers who already have basic to intermediate skills in procedural Perl.

Booknews

Conway (computer science, Monash U., Melbourne) provides novices and experienced Perl hackers alike with a guide to writing clean, readable, and maintainable Perl programs. The book begins with object orientation and Perl basics, and moves on to topics such as encapsulation, polymorphism, operator overloading, multiple dispatch and persistence. Conway incorporates examples of databases, pattern matching, multiprocessing, encryption, and debugging among others, and he includes transition guides from C++, Java, Eiffel, and Smalltalk. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Development Exchange

Object Oriented Perl is well written and communicates a lot of technical know-how to its readers, both in terms of specific language features and general design concepts. You'll put this book down with more knowledge of modular Perl than you had when you picked it up. Whether object-oriented Perl programming is right for your projects is another question-but there's no better decision helper than Conway's guide.

Slashdot.org

...a gem of a book...Superbly organized and excellently explained, this is the definitive book on Object Oriented programming with Perl. Judging from the comments of more qualified experts, we agree that this book belongs on the shelf of any serious Perl hacker.